Cook and Effy, Tainted Love (SKINS UK)
by NickiTxox
Summary: He never thought he'd see her again, and she never thought she'd see him again. Until one crazy Saturday night they cross paths. Effy is afraid to love again after Freddies tragic death three years ago, and Cook is struggling to cope with his inner demons and old feelings for Effy. But will they find the strength to put the past behind them?
1. Real Or Not Real?

Cook POV

"Cook, Baby, are you coming in or what? It's freezing out here." My lady companion says to me outside the entrance of the Club. She stood with her arms crossed and an impatient look on her face. Fuck, girls these days seem to have little or no patience at all. Even when you make time to invite them out to come clubbing they still seem to have a sour look on their faces. There's just no pleasing them. Before I say anything my eyes linger back to the spot which distracted me. A few seconds ago something caught my eye, something far too familiar. I'm not sure what I saw to be quite honest, it was only the back of a girls head but something triggered inside of me, something I couldn't really explain. It was like I knew who she was judging by the look of her brunette locks. A gust of wind flows past me and I squeeze my eyes shut. I start to laugh, I was definitely going mad. I take one last glance at the now empty spot where the girl stood. I probably imagined it. Maybe it was from that spliff I smoked earlier?

"I'm not standing here for much longer! Last chance, are you coming in or not?" I wasn't quite sure of this girls name, all I knew is that it began with an S. I had only met her the night before in some pub and she was starting to annoy me already. I don't even know why I decided to call her and ask her to come clubbing with me tonight. Usually I don't even see any girls that I hooked up with again. But I really don't even know why I do anything anymore.

"Yeah, sorry, I got distracted." I finally respond as I move towards the inside of the club, and the girl whose name I can't remember follows.

"It's okay, you won't get one bit distracted with me tonight, at all. I'll keep you fully entertained." She says in a flirtatious voice as she grabs my hand, leading us further into the large busy nightclub.

"Good to know." I reply in a voice a lot flatter than I anticipated. Of course I knew what she was talking about, I'm always up for a good shag. But my mood tonight didn't seem right. I was already plotting ways to get rid of this girl.

We approached the bar and I pull my wallet out of my pocket as the barman came over to us. "I'll have your cheapest whiskey." I say loud enough so that he could hear me above the blaring music. I turn towards the girl who now has a pouty look on her face, clearly expecting me to buy her a drink. Fucking hell, I can't wait to get away from her. "Are you having one?"

"Vodka and coke." She says before giving me a smirk.

I handed the barman the appropriate amount of money needed and he comes back with our drinks in less than a minute. I thank him before I find myself being dragged away once again. The girl has a firm grasp on my hand and she leads me into the middle of the dance floor. I rolled my eyes and I took a big gulp of my drink, savouring the burning sensation down my throat.

She sets her drink aside on a counter top and she throws my arms around my shoulders, almost causing me to spill my drink. "I want to know you more."

"Aren't you going to drink?" I exclaim pointing towards her untouched Vodka and Coke. "I paid almost five quid for that."

"I will soon, okay?" She says in an annoyed voice. Her arms went slightly tighter around my neck and she brings her face up closer to mine. "There's something I'm a lot more interested in right now anyway."

I sighed. "Yeah, fascinating aren't I?"

"Mmm you certainly proved that last night. I like you Cook." She bites her lip as some sort of seductive gesture. I honestly thought about making a run for it right now.

"Good for you."

"Don't you like me?"

"You're a nice girl."

"Well that's a starting point." She says as she pulls my head down until my lips touch hers. I kissed her back, not because I wanted to, but because I've been searching for so long for something or someone to help me soothe the intense pain inside of me. The feeling of nothingness. For so long now, I have been by myself. Not even my own company can keep me happy. It has been three years. Three years since I last saw my real friends. Three years since Freddie died. Three years since I killed a man, John Foster. That sick bastard who murdered my best friend. Every day that passes is like a ghost that haunts me even more. I can't escape. I'm trapped within myself. It's not that I regretted killing, believe me he deserved it. There was no way I was ever going to allow somebody to get away with what he done. Freds never deserved to die. We hear of death all the time. In the news, on the tv, people talking about it… but for those who witness death it will remain a thing that will be simply unforgotten for the rest of your life. In my case, I caused the death of a man. The feeling gets under my skin and lives inside of me. I don't know how to help myself. Hopeless. That's all I'll ever be.

"You alright there babes?" The girl asks me just as she breaks away from me. "You seem a little pale."

"I'm fine." I respond quickly and harshly. I take another long swig of my Whiskey until I finish the whole glass. This is all my life really consists of these day. Drinking and not giving a shit.

She shrugs and I find myself staring at her decent size chest which I appear to only notice now. Maybe it's the alcohol. I then look at her face, there's no denying she's actually a pretty girl. Although in a strange way, she sort of reminds of the wannabe gangster Johnny Whites daughter who I tried to shag on the night of her engagement turned riot party. It was also my seventeenth birthday. That was a great night, even though I was a bit of an idiot and may have strained certain friendships.

Soon enough the girl starts to dance around me, rubbing her rear end up against me every now and then. I am only swaying awkwardly as the House music only seemed to get louder and louder. Everyone in this club is dancing enthusiastically, either by themselves or with a partner or group of people. I felt like the odd one out. The boring and uninterested one. Usually any guy would be happy having an attractive girl dance seductively around you and the possible outcome of sex later. But not me. I wanted to leave. The noise was too much. The people were too much.

But then I saw her.

I frowned, thinking I am hallucination. Surely to fuck I am? She can't be real. She didn't see me, but I saw her. The laserlights flashing against her porcelain skin and hips swaying as a man whispered something in her ear. Her blood red lips curl into a smile. She is simply breath taking just like she was before. I blink a few times before I look into that same spot again. She's still there but I refused to believe it. This time she sees me. We are looking at each other. Her smile fades and she looks on in shock. I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach and for a moment I feel as though I am going to puke.

She's not real.

She's in your imagination.

It's been three years Cook, she isn't here. You can't see her.

I bring myself to look away but I cannot ignore the curiosity and desire to look again. The girl is still dancing around me, she didn't appear to notice my distraction. I couldn't stop myself this time. I turn my head again and she's still there. Only this time she doesn't look as shocked. She's completely still, no movement came upon her. The man who was with her before was no longer in site. For a moment it was as thought we were the only two people standing in the room. Two old "friends" finally seeing each other after so long. But it still couldn't be real.

"Effy." I choked out without expecting it. Saying her name for the first time in almost three years made the experience feel a bit more real. She didn't hear me, of course. Nobody did. Except for myself and one other person.

"My name is Selina, silly. Where did you get Effy from? That's an odd name anyways." Selina? I could have sworn it was Stephanie or something but I really did not care. I didn't respond to Selina and I quickly look back to where I saw Effy… but she was gone and no evidence suggested that she ever stood in that spot. I really was imagining things.

"I need to go." I said abruptly. Right now I honestly felt like I was going to puke at any time.

"What's wrong? Do you feel ill? We can go back to mine if you like. I'll look after you in many ways." She runs her fingers along my bicep and smiles at me.

"Fuck sake, do you ever stop talking?" I snapped, pulling hastily away from her touch.

"Or we can go back to yours? I don't mind."

"No. I'm going now and you are not coming with me." I knew I sounded harsh but I could care less. "And I want my five quid back for what I paid for you drink."

Selina raises her eyebrows at me. "Are you fucking serious? You said to me on the phone that you were going to treat me!"

"Well, clearly I changed my fucking mind now."

She shakes her head in disbelief before she shoves her hand into her bag and pulls out a fiver and throws it at me. "There's your five quid. You're such a rude twat Cook, do you treat all girls like this?"

I don't say anything to her, I just walk away silently feeling grateful that I could finally get away from her. I push my way past the crowds of people and I make my way towards an emergency exit which was the first one in sight. I slam my body weight against it and it opens straight away causing me to stumble forward and straight on the cold and dirty ground. I was in the alley at the side of the night club and it smelled like shit. I bring myself back to my feet and I cough a few times but nothing came out, even though I felt the strong urgency to vomit. Fuck this. I'm getting out of this shit hole. Hopefully a good night sleep will help me get my head straight. I take a deep breath and I begin to walk forward. But something makes me stop. I don't even have to look to know that something is behind me. My heart rate increases as I think about the possibilities, I felt almost afraid to look. Which is rare because I never get scared easily.

"You should turn around you know, I don't bite." She spoke. Even her voice sounded real but I couldn't convince myself it was. She isn't real.

"Why?" I say.

"Because I want to see you."

This was crazy, really crazy. But I couldn't resist. Even if she was some sort of hallucination, I need to see her again. I just had to. I turn around and many different emotions came flooding over me. Confusion, tenderness, awe and weakness all in one. There she was, her famous devilish smile spread across her perfect features, a short black silk dress that showed off her smooth long legs and her now tousled hair was parted to the side. It then clicked with me; she was the person who I got distracted by before I entered the club. How mad is that?

Without warning, she walks towards me until we are standing face to face. She looks up at me and I have a chance to look into those blue eyes that I loved so much. I never even noticed that she raised her hand to touch my cheek until I felt it. Her touch was so familiar and real.

She was real. She was really here.

"Cook." She whispers my name so delicately. "Long time no see."


	2. Call Me

_Cooks POV -_ I blinked a few times and even went as far as biting down on my own lip, hard, just to make sure this all wasn't some sort of dream. After a few passing moments and a slight awkward silence I finally accepted the reality. Effy Stonem was here, this was no dream. I studied her features for the first time in three years, the familiarity in her crystal blue eyes and that wry smile I knew all too well. She lets out a long and exaggerated sigh, and I knew why. Suddenly I felt lame, but most of all awkward.

"Have you gone mute or something?" She asks me crossing her arms over her chest. "The Cook I know would have pounced on me by now."

"I wouldn't do… I haven't gone mute. I'm n-not." I answered in a small voice that sounded a lot more awkward than I felt. Shit, this is the first time I have seen Effy in three years and I can barely even say Hello to her. Effy's lips twitch slightly and I can see the amusement in her eyes, I could tell she was trying to hold back the laughter. "I'm just surprised to see you like this so out of the blue."

"Likewise," She answers casually as she begins to talk a few small steps towards me. "I couldn't believe it was you when I saw you in there, I only knew for sure when I followed you out here. Thought it was some fucked up dream."

I felt relieved to know that she experienced the same thing as me, I too thought that seeing Effy was some fucked up dream. Now that I knew for certain she was definitely real I felt… well words couldn't exactly describe how I felt in this moment. It was definitely surreal.

"Well Eff, it's great to see ya… didn't change much did you?" My eyes linger over the length for her slender body for a second before I bring them back up to her face again. Judging by the look she had on her face, she noticed me looking at her. I shove my hands into my jacket pocket and I clench them, I don't think I ever felt as anxious as I did right now.

She smiles at me, there is no humour or wickedness in this one. She walks towards me once again until we are at least arm's length apart. The scent of her perfume and vodka filled the space between us and in that moment I felt my heart pound against my chest. I ignored the longing urge to reach out and touch her, it would be too weird even if I tried.

This time it was her turn to eye me up, she wasn't to discreet about it either, and I didn't mind. When her eyes come back to meet mine I am about to speak until she pulls me in abruptly, she is hugging me. Really hugging me. My breath comes to a halt when her small arms warp tightly around my waist and rests her head against my chest. My arms hung by my sides, unsure of what to do. After having no contact with Effy for three years it's almost hard to believe that our bodies are pressed so closely together after exchanging only a few words with one another. Did she think I was being strange? Did she think I was being prude compered to how I was three years ago? In truth I was nervous and Effy was doing this to me. I can't think of a time where I ever felt like this around a girl. Finally I force movement in my arms and I run my fingers down her back for a few seconds, I swore I felt her body tremble.

She inhales deeply as if she were taking in my scent. "It's good to see you too Cook. I really don't actually know what to say right now… is this weird for you? I'm sorry." She breaks away and looks to the ground and all of a sudden I got that empty feeling again.

"No," I answer straight away. "I'm fucking Cook. When do I ever feel uncomfortable?" Right now, but I think I'll keep that one to myself.

She tried to supress her giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter. I have never seen her laugh this way before. It was so rare back in the happier times. To see it now was a beautiful sight. "Yeah you probably haven't changed much Cook. How the hell have you been?"

I hesitated before I answered. What could I possibly tell her? That I'm a fugitive? That I was practically the reason why Emma died? That I fucked up in every sense possible? That I live with the grief of losing Freddy and killing John Foster every day? How could anyone go about saying all that?

"Are you okay?" She asks me, her voice full of genuine concern.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "I'm fine, I've been fine. Things haven't exactly been easy these past three years but I make do. Things have been fucked up in all honesty, but times are sort of better now."

"You fucking Cook, I have no doubt you can handle whatever comes in your way."

I grinned. "What about you, how have you been?"

She pulls a packet of cigarettes from her handbag and offers me one, I take one from the box before she lights it up for me. She lights one of her own and in hales the smokes, eyes fluttering closed. She seemed deep in thought. "I suppose I could say the same as you. Times have been hard but I cope. I'm in a good job, sort of. I'm a receptionist in a London Hedge fund with an arsehole for a boss and I'm sharing with Naomi who isn't exactly in a good way right now. Sometimes I want to bash my head against the wall and scream for something different, but can't exactly complain can I? There's other people living worse off than me."

"Eh? That's good though. At least you have a job." I blew out some smoke. "You're living with Naomikins? Fuck I miss that smart bitch. Bet she misses me too."

"Unfortunately she's too busy having loud sex with Emily every night to spare anyone else a thought," She smiles. "She hasn't changed much either. She's still Naomi."

"Your still Effy." I stomped out my cigarette.

"Not the mad one." She blinks. I make full eye contact with her and I just can't shake the feeling within. "Not the one that went off the rails."

"You're still my Effy… I can see that." I said so quickly that I wasn't even aware of it until I saw the shocked expression on Effy's face. Shit, why did I have to say that? It wouldn't surprise me if she decided to make a run for it right now, but she didn't.

"Yep, you're still the same Cook who doesn't hold back in saying what's on his mind. I like that." Her voice was calm with a hint of humour in it also.

"I'm sure there's other things you still like about me also, Princess. It's been way to long."

She grins and doesn't seem phased at all by me calling her Princess, which was yet another mistake by me. "Indeed it has. I've always wondered what it would be like if we met again."

"Was it how you expected it to be? Or did you expect some epic open arm reunion like in the movies?" I asked her jokingly. In truth I have thought about what it would be like seeing Effy again for a very long time. The thoughts were always brushed aside because I knew I probably had no chance of ever seeing her again. After I killed John foster I left straight away with no intentions of saying goodbye to anybody. The last time I seen Effy was in Freddys shed. However that day we barley exchanged any words, which killed me.

Effy shrugs and awkwardly looks down to her feet. She pulls a loose strand of hair behind her ear and I feel paranoid that I have offended her. Those feelings however fade once I catch a glimpse of that Effy smile. "I wasn't expecting an epic reunion as you say… I don't know what I was expecting really. Just seeing you is enough… I did miss you Cook, especially after Freddy I…. I… well it was hard and you just left. It was like you just vanished into thin air."

Her words struck me like a punch in the face. My heart sank as all the humour and kindness in her eyes is now replaced with sadness. "Sorry… I really shouldn't have brought that up."

"Why did you leave Cook?"

This time I was hit harder than before. I was utterly speechless. This was exactly the kind of question I was dreading, and I wasn't sure if I was fully ready to answer it. Looking into her eyes, I knew she deserved the truth. But words failed me. Memories of what happened in John Fosters house three years ago haunts me to this day, and it won't leave me alone. It wasn't something I have verbally spoken about, ever. Even back when Emma pestered me for the truth about my past before she died, I still wouldn't tell her. It was just one of those things that I am unable to dwell upon for obvious reasons. But being here with Effy now, in some smelly alleyway next to a nightclub, I still felt that familiar closeness with her as it was before. I don't think that connection between us ever left, and something told me she felt that too. How could I possibly lie to her or even avoid the question? And even more importantly, how would she take it?

The tension is broken by the sudden sound of a text message from Effy's handbag. So much for timing. I didn't notice that she had tears in her eyes until she reaches to pull her phone from her bag. I felt awful and wanted nothing more than to pull her in for another embrace. But it became clear to me that perhaps now wasn't the best of times to speak about Freddy or John Foster out in public in case things became messy.

"Fuck." Effy mutters before she quickly moves her fingers over the touchscreen on her phone, a frown forms between her eyebrows.

"Everything alright?" I asked in a flat voice.

"Uh, yeah it's fine. I have to go actually. I was supposed to be back with food and booze for Naomi a half an hour ago." She declared with a sympathetic smile as she clutches her phone. My heart sank. But what right do I have to convince her to stay with me?

"Well it was good seeing you and I hope we can-"

"Give me your hand."

"What?"

"Just give me your hand." She laughs suggestively as she strode towards me whilst she buried her hand in her bag, searching for something I presumed. It was a pen that she pulled out. She stood in front of me and pressed her lips together, waiting. Hesitantly I held my hand out and pondered what exactly she planned on doing with the pen. My pulses raced as her finger tips brush against the palm of my hand triggering electricity to flow throughout the whole of my body. Judging by the unsteady movement and the lingering of her hands, she felt that too. Neither of us acknowledged it further. I flinched at the sudden roughness of the pen against my skin, but my eyes never left Effy. I knew that it was probably wrong to want her again, but I couldn't help myself. Even when I was with other girls over the past three years my mind always came back to Effy in the end. It was like a never ending cycle.

"My phone number." She tells me breaking away any skin to skin contact we had before. She takes one step back and smiles at me. I look down to my hand at the very clear phone number written in bold black, I was overcome by a sense of pride. "I think you should give me a call, that's if you are interested."

"Why wouldn't I be interested?" I said almost straight away. "I'd be an idiot if I made this the last time we see each other for another three years."

I swore I saw her cheeks redden, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

"Well then I guess this is a 'see you later' rather than a goodbye." She tells me without question and I smile. "I look forward to catching up properly, Cook."

"Likewise, Eff."

She turns away but pauses in her tracks. I narrow my eyebrows in confusion as she is suddenly rushing towards me, with a somewhat sense of urgency in her eyes. Before I could even process what is happening, she is kissing me. It is only on the cheek, unfortunately, but it was still a shocker. It was over before I got a chance to enjoy it properly, but even so I still felt her touch and my cheek burned as if her mark was going to be engraved forever.

Effy gives me one of her famous wicked smiles, she definitely knew what such a simple peck on the cheek has done to me. "I got the sense that you were still my Cook when I followed you out here you know. I missed you."

"I missed you too Effy." I widen my eyes as I couldn't believe what she had just said. Only in my dreams has Effy ever said such a thing to me.

Before I knew it, she was gone. Nothing in this moment could ever destroy the happiness I was feeling right now.


End file.
